Gemini is probably my favorite hybrid tea rose to grow here in the high desert of the Southwest, Albuquerque. As beautiful as it is, it is equally tough. It tolerates the summer heat. Mine was not damaged by the extreme cold of February of 2011. The colors are wonderful. The form is close to perfect in almost every bloom.
Morning in the roses, especially when they are at the peak of spring bloom, is such a refreshing start to the day. I thought I would share a bit of my morning walk with you.
Blooms in this image are the floribundas ‘Chihuly,’ ‘Marmalade Skies,’ ‘Dream Weaver,’ and the shrub, ‘Flower Girl.’
This next image shows the hybrid tea, ‘Veterans’ Honor,’ one of my favorite reds.
My neighbors and I share a wall of climbers. In this image, on my side, you see ‘Royal Sunset’ and ‘Fourth of July.’ They have ‘Eden,’ ‘Climbing Peace,’ ‘Don Juan,’ and ‘Royal Sunset.’ It is very nice to have neighbors with such a wall of blooms!
Our winter here in the high desert was so warm this year, that spring bloom has reached it peak quite early. I have enjoyed it immensely, of course.
The Albuquerque rose show is the last weekend of May this year. The early bloom may affect the number of blooms entered, although perhaps people in cooler areas (here in Albuquerque, as well as in Santa Fe) may have more blooms than usual to enter.
The blooms are certainly enjoyable now!
Yesterday I posted a photo of a rose in my yard, covered with snow from the night before.
My mom lives less than a mile from me, but her yard is much warmer than mine. I was quite surprised to see that she still had hybrid teas blooming on Thanksgiving Day.
Last night was very cold, and the skies were clear, so I imagine that today even her roses will be done. But what a beautiful little surprise her roses on Thanksgiving were.
Isn’t this a gorgeous spray of roses? This is ‘Gemini,’ a hybrid tea by Keith Zary of Jackson and Perkins.
This photo was taken this afternoon. This week has been both hot and windy, and yet the bush is covered with single blooms and with sprays.
‘Gemini’ is a great rose for the desert southwest. This photo was shot on August 15, 2008. You can see that the rose does not lose its size, form, or color even in the heat of summer. Flowers generally appear singly, one-bloom-to-a-stem, but ‘Gemini’ is capable of making very large sprays. One year I had a spray with 13 florets; this spray has “only” five.
If you want to grow only one hybrid tea in the desert southwest, ‘Gemini’ is a great choice!
